Legendary race car driver dies after rare catastrophe

A beloved race car driver died following a case of extreme circumstances at a historic North Carolina track.

Robbie Brewer, a veteran driver with wins across multiple divisions, lost his life at just 53 years old following a race at the Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Saturday.

The 87-year-old venue recently welcomed the NASCAR Cup Series back to the stadium after more than half a century in 2025, which sparked renovations, investments, and a promise of more NASCAR events in the coming years. The stadium’s revitalization makes the death of Brewer even more tragic, especially when coupled with the unique circumstances that led to his passing.

‘I gave my last fist bump to Robbie last night.’

With just four laps remaining in the Sportsman division race on Saturday, Brewer’s No. 17 car was in the fourth position following a restart. As the field headed toward the green flag, Brewer’s car slammed into the outside wall in turn four and bounced off before driving back down the track and eventually coming to a stop.

In a video of the event showing the crash (not graphic), fans can be seen waving to Brewer, hoping to receive a thumbs-up from the driver. When he did not respond, fans looked panicked as race officials approached the car.

FloRacing reported that inside sources revealed Brewer suffered a heart attack during the race, which led to the crash.

In a video of the tragic incident, track personnel are seen rushing to Brewer. They eventually had to cut away the roof of his race car to remove him from the vehicle. He was then loaded onto an ambulance and taken to a nearby hospital.

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Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Brewer was later pronounced dead, with Bowman Gray Stadium releasing a statement.

“We are saddened by the passing of Robbie Brewer after he was transported to an area medical facility following an on-track medical incident during last night’s event at Bowman Gray Stadium,” the track said in a statement. “Robbie was a talented and passionate racer, and highly respected competitor among his peers. Our thoughts and prayers are with Robbie’s family and friends at this time.”

Fellow driver Brad Lewis posted his condolences on Facebook, sadly writing, “I gave my last fist bump to Robbie last night and told him to give ’em hell. Emilee spoke the last words to him over the radio. Hardest thing I’ve had to do was climb in a car after he was gone, but he would’ve told me to pump them up and get on the wheel.”

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Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Brewer had a remarkable 35-year career with 11 wins in the Sportsman division.

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